Rather than scapegoating social media as a technological brainwasher, turning out voters who support populist strongmen, we must consider why communities resonate with, and willingly participate in, myth-making, misinformation, and historical revisionism online. Hes not an outsider taking over.. You just wont find such an act of defiance in other places. . He has over 1.2 million followers on TikTok, around 2 million subscribers on YouTube, and another 5.3 million followers on Facebook. Your IP: But historians say any analysis of the Philippines future with a Marcos scion at the helm would ring hollow without a critical eye toward the past. Their restoration presents a democraticindeed existentialcrisis for the Philippines. articles a month for anyone to read, even non-subscribers! The challenge is to differentiate yourself, said political analyst Tony La Via. At the launch of Bongbong Marcos campaign, a celebrity emcee rallied the crowd saying: We have a winner, the fight is over! Rappler investigations have found that across several platforms, disinformation networks were used to further the Marcos narrative. In a closed-door briefing on Wednesday, February 16, research consultancy firmStratbase ADR Institute said based on a Social Weather Stations survey, Marcos is the candidate voters see the most as having the characteristic that a candidate for a national post should posses. The rest? Funny how, for a people who love dance, we dont trust politicians who want to do the cha-cha. hippie fest 2022 michigan; family picture poses for 5 adults; unforgettable who killed rachel; pacific northwest college of art notable alumni; adler sense of belonging family constellation; how to spot fake bvlgari serpenti bag; Bongbong Marcos Jnr and his family face arrest in the US for defying a court order to pay US$353 million to human rights victims. Why is it important to subscribe? Marcos Jr.s opponents repeatedly bring up his fathers legacy, but experts say that is backfiring. He got the highest percentage in the characteristics that mattered to voters most then: concern for the poor (29%), honest and trustworthy (32%), and not corrupt (28%). The amplified social campaign bolstering the accomplishments of Marcos Sr has also changed the narrative. With Marcos Jr. having studied internationally he attended programs at Oxford University in England and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, but did not finish either, according to Reuters he is likely to take a softer stance with the U.S. and other Western allies, Rafael said. But a major question remains whether Marcos Jr. will continue many of the policies under Duterte, who is a close ally, and potentially appease Chinese leader Xi Jinping amid the two countries territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Content takedowns and de-platforming alone will not solve the disinformation crisis in the Philippines or elsewhere. But thanks in part to a patient long-term project of brand rehabilitation on social media, and expedient power-brokering with the powerful Dutertes to unify forces against their liberal elite rivals, the family has made a successful comeback. Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. His deliberate non-appearance in major presidential debates may seem, to many, as a lost opportunity. But the Marcoses certainly took the brazen display of extreme affluence, in the face of extreme poverty, to a new low. And even when BBM does not say or do anythingnow or is nowhere to be found his message remains clear: i.e. His return to power will raise more questions than answers and provoke rage so that instead of moving forward, people will be litigating unanswered questions to a past that continues to be present. Theres been too much talk about an apology from the Marcoses. Presidential aspirant and former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said Saturday that he believes that the election is still the "best form of anti-political dynasty process," as he . His victory . Marcos also got a boost from his alliance with Sara Duterte-Carpio, the daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, who won the vice presidential election by a landslide after opting not to run for president herself. But this is reductive. The numbers show the jump from the previous polls is not significant. The end of the Marcos era was only the beginning of the familys troubles. Manhit pointed out that based on research, only 1 in 4 Filipinos would not vote for a candidate from a political dynasty. Disinformation is a subset of misinformation, but which is deliberately deceptive. Data from Amnesty International shows that while Marcos was in power, around 70,000 enemies of the state were detained, some 34,000 of them tortured, and more than 3,000 killed. He does not attack other candidates. Saying he sought to provide the country a unifying leadership, former Sen. Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos, Jr. officially threw his hat for the presidency under a "convoy of political parties, sectoral movements and youth organizations" led by the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP). His loyalists say the period was a golden age of development. In all of his campaigns and rallies he never really intended to make fun of others, or he never maligned anyone.. He has withheld the truth about the Marcos plunder before and during martial rule, which he has misrepresented as a "golden era." He knows from multiple accounts that these illicit funds are diversions made from foreign economic aid, US military assistance, and from public and private sources. Aided by an army of paid trolls, he has conducted his electoral campaign, in large part, on a strategy of misinformation that seeks to mislead rather than clarify. The protest poster read: Mamaga sana ang mukha ng nagpapatay kay Ninoy. I hope whoever had Ninoy killed gets a swollen face (Well, its funnier in Tagalog.). With only 67days left before some 67 million Filipino voters pick President Rodrigo Dutertes successor, Marcos Jr is way ahead of rivals. During that time, dissidents and political opponents were jailed and described being tortured and sexually abused by soldiers. Given his record of delaying and obstructing the return of ill-gotten wealth to our country, it is hard to imagine that he can lead efforts to repay the trillions of pesos that the Philippines now owes, in large part due to the pandemic-induced downturn in our economy. How does disinformation work in flesh and blood? The reason for the takedown: it violatedFacebooks policies against coordinated in-authentic behaviour the use of fake accounts, made to look real, in a coordinated campaign to promote messages or a political agenda. Many kept these claims alive on social media, and within his self-reinforcing silo of followers. Marcos Jr. is aware of major judicial rulings in three countries (the Philippines, the United States, and Switzerland) over the years that prove the existence of ill-gotten wealth. By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Throughout his time in public life, he has refused to apologize for rights violations and corruption during his fathers reignsaying that history should be left to the professors. But educators have shirked the task. Late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos stands by as his wife Imelda sings to supporters from a balcony of the Malacanang Palace in Manila, February 25, 1986. Thats probably why Bongbong Marcos wants Filipinos to forget about what happened to us during his fathers reign. Its an indictment on the complete failure of the Philippines to institute rule of law, Heydarian, the political science professor, saysadding that it also shows the countrys failure to confront its dark past. At the same time, a concerted attack on Marcos by other presidential candidates (among them Vice President Robredo, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, former boxing champ Senator Manny Pacquio, Senator Ping Lacson and six others, whose poll numbers are lagging) isnt helping their case, pundits say. Marcos Jr and his siblings are beneficiaries of two Swiss foundations that held stolen funds. The Reagan White House finally realized he was a liability to U.S. interests. We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Fatima Gaw, assistant professor of communication research at the University of the Philippines, says its almost impossible to distinguish between propaganda and genuine support on such platforms. In 2016, Marcos Jr lost to Vice President Leni Robredo by a hairline. Pundits say that if the trend lines continue, with the polling just 67 days away, another Marcos will be in Malacanang Palace, the Asian countrys seat of power. Marcos Jr. has ignored the testimonies and documented cases of killings, tortures, and arbitrary arrests during his fathers dictatorship as reported by established human rights institutions. Critics say a Bongbong Marcos victory would pose a huge threat to Philippine democracy. Oh, Marcos and Imelda look so happy and proud in photographs with Ronald and Nancy Reagan. By providing an email address. Add your comment to start the conversation. Marcos Jr., along with Duterte-Carpio, refused to grant interviews to international media or participate in debates. Al Nisr Publishing LLC 2023. and The election of the Philippines' new president, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., in May 2022 has proven exceptionally significant for Washington's security . By presenting the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.'s infrastructure legacy, his "Bagong Lipunan," as so-called proof that the Philippines was a utopia of sorts back during Martial Law. Read this in The Manila Times digital edition. That a great number of Filipinos count on the mythical mountain of gold supposedly handed down to Marcos Sr by a fictional Tallano Family (whose gold stash supposedly came all the way from King Solomon), is no mystery. He was special assistant to his father in 1979 and later, vice governor then governor of their bailiwick, Ilocos Norte. Its been years in the making. Ferdinand Marcos Sr and his family including Bongbong Marcos Jr were forced into exile during the EDSA Revolution in 1986. Three years later, Aquinos widow, Corazon Aquino, challenged Marcos for president in an election marred by fraud. The attacks against BBM with the issue of nakaw (ill-gotten wealth) and all of that, it does not resonate as much, said Heydarian, policy adviser and chair of geopolitics at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). And without Marcos, what would have happened to Willie Nepomuceno, undoubtedly one of the most talented Filipino humorists ever? He has been found guilty by a Regional Trial Court and the Court of Appeals of tax evasion for the billions of pesos in unpaid taxes racked up by the Marcos estate. Military officers defected in support of Aquino, who was sworn in on Feb. 25, 1986. This, it appears that Marcos Jr. has taken out an insurance policy to ensure that his term will not be cut short by Uncle Sam. Terms of Use Marcos Jr. was 8 years old when his father was elected president in 1965. What can be more epal than having gigantic bust of yourself constructed along a major highway you named after yourself. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the presumptive president of the Philippines, at a campaign rally in Quezon City in April. For how can he, the dictators son, ever lead our country if he has approved, covered up, or been complicit in the commission of past crimes that somehow continue into the present? By recasting himself as the victim of elite historians and academicsas the victim, even, of the activists who survived torture and abuse during his fathers dictatorshipMarcos shows that false victimhood claims can effectively appeal to an anxious public when packaged in compelling myth and melodrama. 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